Dundee celebrates iconic Lemmings with bronze statues

DMA Design’s classic game Lemmings has been immortalised in Dundee with the creation of three bronze statues depicting the title’s iconic characters.

As reported by the Scottish Games Network, the statues are based on Perth Road, and show the Lemmings climbing a small wall, just like their in-game counterparts.

The statues were crafted by local artist Alyson Conway, who wanted to celebrate Dundee’s digital heritage with the blessing of the town’s head of public art at the Dundee City Council.

Conway said the sculpture was still incomplete, and hoped to add a further four Lemmings should the project attract further funding.

"My idea behind this location was that the lemmings had 'wandered' out of their birthplace – DMA’s original office at the bottom of the Perth Road – and made their way up to this picturesque location at Seabraes where they are acting as “guardians” to welcome people to Dundee’s new Digital Media Park, accessible via the adjacent stairs," she said.

"As part of the piece I wanted to incorporate the physical environment, so the low stone wall and pillars act like a 2D game level which the little lemmings are trying to traverse – a lookout is atop one pillar scouting the way across, while behind him a climber clambers up and below a builder is laying bricks.

"The piece is still 'unfinished' as the original proposal was actually for seven lemmings, however there was only enough funding for three, but it is hoped that at some point, extra funding will become available to enable the piece to be finished off."

Lemmings is one of Scotland's most famous exports, originally released in 1991, developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis.

It has been claimed that the series of games, of which there are 25, has sold more than 15 million copies.